The Late Bloomer Myth

[beentheredonethat]

The crux of the matter is that the drive to identify kids early is an inexact activity at best. What really is happening is we essentially give up on a lot of kids before they actually have an opportunity to essentially put the pieces together. That doen't preclude a kid from popping up on the radar screen later in the process but everyone should recognize that the chances of that happening are more remote than certain. What most of you are not really focusing in on is the fact that the way the process now works burns through many more kids than it produces.

[Unregistered]

Let me see if I got this wright. When a child who exibits early athletic ability goes through puberty, that athlectic ability will suddenly disappear. Maybe. But I think that the athletic ability would only get even better as the child goes through the process and becomes even stronger, faster, more agile than before. So I would think that the athletically gifted child will still remain ahead of the late bloomer. I think that in rare instances, a late bloomer may catch up, but lets face it, some kids just have the gift of athleticism and more often than not, you can see this from a very young age, just as children who have different gifts.

No you don't have it right. You can not accurately judge the affects of puberty until all the children have gone through it. Now consider the medical literature on the subject states that puberty typically begin at age 10 for girls and age 12 for boys, but there are also range variations from individual to individual. For girls that range is within the ages of 8 and 13 and for boys 9 and 14. It then takes another 3-4 years to complete. Most girls usually completed puberty by ages 15–17 while most boys don't complete puberty until they are 16–18. And yet we select players for a U14 NT. Utterly ridiculous because it means we are most likely selecting early maturing players since they are being compared to players that may still have years of maturation ahead of them.

[Unregistered]

Many experts believe that puberty is a major cause of the rise in incidence of ACL and other knee injuries in female athletes. The growth of the birth cavity causes the pelvis to adjust and that causes the legs to turn out, causing an alignment of the legs that puts pressure on the knee ligaments.

There are many theories on ACL injuries, but what is interesting is that studies have shown that the most injuries generally occur at age 15 and then drop off for a while. A second rise in the number of injuries comes during the college years. Both are theorized as the affects of increased body mass which is caused by the hormone estrogen. Girls/women add weight, but not muscle, which can cause an initial destablization of the knee joint as the body is learning to cope with the additional weight.

There is also the theory that the effects of certain hormones during a girl's/woman's monthly cycle causes a laxation of ligaments that also destabilizes the knee joint. Those who take birth control pills which reduce these hormones have shown lower incidents of ACL injuries.

[Unregistered]

There are many theories on ACL injuries, but what is interesting is that studies have shown that the most injuries generally occur at age 15 and then drop off for a while. A second rise in the number of injuries comes during the college years. Both are theorized as the affects of increased body mass which is caused by the hormone estrogen. Girls/women add weight, but not muscle, which can cause an initial destablization of the knee joint as the body is learning to cope with the additional weight.

There is also the theory that the effects of certain hormones during a girl's/woman's monthly cycle causes a laxation of ligaments that also destabilizes the knee joint. Those who take birth control pills which reduce these hormones have shown lower incidents of ACL injuries.

The primary reason why ACL injuries occur at college and high school age is because many high school and college schedules require a workload that is not safe for pubescent children.

The overuse promoted by the schedule fatigues connective tissue in the pelvis and knee, and impairs the propriopriceptive abilities of the CNS to manage the microcoordination needed for running, turning, accelerating and decelerating.

This increases the chances of many kinds of non-contact injury of which ACL tears is one.

[Unregistered]

The primary reason why ACL injuries occur at college and high school age is because many high school and college schedules require a workload that is not safe for pubescent children.

The overuse promoted by the schedule fatigues connective tissue in the pelvis and knee, and impairs the propriopriceptive abilities of the CNS to manage the microcoordination needed for running, turning, accelerating and decelerating.

This increases the chances of many kinds of non-contact injury of which ACL tears is one.

wow I guess I am lucky. Growing up I played sports dawn to dusk during the summer, and then for the rest of the year after school for three hours a day and all weekend growing up. Yet, not a single knee injury. My experience is that not having an ACL injury is a combination of luck and genetics. Now my ankles are another story. What's next, blaming the shelling of South Korea on HS soccer?

- Cujo

[Unregistered]

wow I guess I am lucky. Growing up I played sports dawn to dusk during the summer, and then for the rest of the year after school for three hours a day and all weekend growing up. Yet, not a single knee injury. My experience is that not having an ACL injury is a combination of luck and genetics.
- Cujo

To luck and genetics add gender. You were a boy, Cujo.

[Unregistered]

To luck and genetics add gender. You were a boy, Cujo.

at least we think so.

[Unregistered]

wow I guess I am lucky. Growing up I played sports dawn to dusk during the summer, and then for the rest of the year after school for three hours a day and all weekend growing up. Yet, not a single knee injury. My experience is that not having an ACL injury is a combination of luck and genetics. Now my ankles are another story. What's next, blaming the shelling of South Korea on HS soccer?

- Cujo

No this is not the case. Did you play sports in an organized competitive fashion? If so, what was your training schedule and game schedule like?

And yes, women suffer a much greater likelihood than men to experience ACL and MCL related injury.

[Unregistered]

wow I guess I am lucky. Growing up I played sports dawn to dusk during the summer, and then for the rest of the year after school for three hours a day and all weekend growing up. Yet, not a single knee injury. My experience is that not having an ACL injury is a combination of luck and genetics. Now my ankles are another story. What's next, blaming the shelling of South Korea on HS soccer?

- Cujo

.. you miss the point.. the figures are that women are something like 9 times more likely to suffer a knee injury than boys.. the data suggests that it has more to do with puberty and their menstrual cycle than with overuse.. as it relates to this discussion, we all know that a serious knee injury is just one way of derailing a promising athletic career..

[Unregistered]

The problem with noncontact ACL injuries is body mechanics. This link may help
http://www.unionavepeds.com/ACLprevent.html

[Unregistered]

The problem with noncontact ACL injuries is body mechanics. This link may help
http://www.unionavepeds.com/ACLprevent.html

Hey, this doesn't belong on this bulletin board. It is actual information!

The nerve.

[Unregistered]

No this is not the case. Did you play sports in an organized competitive fashion? If so, what was your training schedule and game schedule like?

And yes, women suffer a much greater likelihood than men to experience ACL and MCL related injury.

I was only trying to counter the point and tweak the thread as it headed off in the inevitable "ACL injuries are caused by HS soccer" track. Yes I understand that it is a huge problem for female athletes. Virtually every injury I have seen is non-contact and it is typically women and typically those with a pronounced Q angle. However some of the injuries that I have seen were caused by lungeing at the ball after running full speed. I have seen both patellar tendon and ACL/MCL combo tears from this lunge. An imbalance in the development of the quad is part of the problem but even with good training to develop the whole quad back technique on defensive challenges can go badly awry.

- Cujo

[Unregistered]

I was only trying to counter the point and tweak the thread as it headed off in the inevitable "ACL injuries are caused by HS soccer" track. - Cujo

Yeah, right. Full of it as usual.

[Unregistered]

Yeah, right. Full of it as usual.

He took the unusual step, for him, of indirectly acknowledging that his previous comment was misleading. In the process, he also managed to supply some helpful information. There's no reason to discourage reasonable behavior.

[Unregistered]

I was only trying to counter the point and tweak the thread as it headed off in the inevitable "ACL injuries are caused by HS soccer" track.

No, they are not caused by HS soccer per se b ut the congested nature of the American HS soccer schedule.

15 ,16, 17, and 18 year olds play more soccer in season at the HS level than a European professional. It simply promotes overuse and fatigue. That's a part of the problem.